lighthouse



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Jf o. LIGHTHOUSE.

MAIL BAG.

N0.374844. PatentedDec.13yl887;

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N. Pains. rnmmlwmpnaf. www nu (No Moldel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '2; J. C.LIGHTHOUSE.

Patented Deo. 13, .1887'.

.MAI-L BAG.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. LIGHTHOUSE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

MAlL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of 'Letters Patent No. a'14,a44,dateaDecember 1 3, 1887,

Application tiled September 19, 1887. Serial No. 250,134. (No model.)

To @.ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J orrN C. LienrnoUsE, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New IYork, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Mail-Bags; and I do hereby declare that'the following isa full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had tothe drawings accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to that class of mail bags and pouches in whichthe mouth is composed of metallic bars jointed or hinged at thequarters, so asto be opened in square form. Such devices are alreadyknown, and I do not claim the same, broadly.

My invention "rhonsists in the combination, with such a device, of twolocking-straps hinged together and applied to the front bars, and soarranged, as hereinafter described, that when drawn endwise to lock thebag the hinge of thelocking-straps comes on one side of the hinge of themouthvbars, as hereinafter more fully described. y

.ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mouth of amail-bag in the lockedposition, exhibiting my invention. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the same unlocked and partially opened. Fig. 3 is anenlarged side elevation ot' a portion ofthe same. Fig. 4 is a verticalcross-section in line x x of Fig. 3. Fig 5 is a plan View of the mouthfully opened. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section similar to Fig. 4, butshowing a modification. Figs. 7 and 8 are ele- Vations of the hingedlocking-straps, showing modifications in the means for fastening themouth of the bag.

A indicates the leather bag, which is lof i usual form and construction.

My improvement is as follows:

B B and BB are four side straps or plates, which constitute the mouth ofthe bag. The bag is secured Ito the bottom edge of these straps byordinary rivets, a a,the lower edges of the straps being offset orshouldered, as shown atd d, so as to give room for the leather insidewhen the mouth is closed. The side straps are pivoted or hinged atthefour quarters, as shown at c c c c, two of the hinges coming at theedges and two in the center of the width of the bag. By this means themouth of the bag can be closed tightly in dat condition to close thebag, or can be extended wide-open, as shown in Fig. 5, for assortingmail. When so opened, the side straps constitute a square. open. Thestraps B B on two sides of the bag have right-angled flanges b b at thetop, which cover the edges of the other two straps, B B,when the bag isclosed, thereby preventing the entrance of any instrument for openingthe bag.

O C are two sliding lockingstraps hinged together centrally at j', and Ylying latWise against the two front side straps B B', being held toplace by rivets g g, that pass through slots h h of the locking-straps.By this means the locking-straps have end. movement to -a limiteddegree. The locking-straps have rightangled open slots i t' andprojecting tongues k 7c, and the two rear side straps B B have staplesZZ, that coincide with the slots. When the bag is closed, the staples Z Zpass through Vopenings in the front side straps B B and through theslots Z i of the locking-straps, and then by sliding the lockingstrapsto the left the tongues k la pass through the staples and lock the partsfirmly together. Vhen the straps are so thrownto lock the bag, the hingefof the locking-straps comes to one side of and out of line with thehinge c of the side straps, thereby stiftening the mouth of the bag andremoving a portion of the strain from the fastenings. When the slidingstraps are thrown back to unlock the bag, the hinge f coincides with thehinge c of the side straps, and the bag can then be opened withouttrouble. v p

Instead of the'open slots i fi of the lockingstraps, closed slots suchas shown in Figs. 7 and 8 may be used, and instead of the staplesZZT-headed nails such asshown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be employed.

D is the tag or label holder, the Same consisting of a plate hingedorjointed to the end of one of the locking-straps C, its outer endpassing over a staple, m, reaching through the front side straps andsecured by a suitable lock, n. This holds the locking-straps in thelocked position, and they can be moved back only by removing the lock.

p p are straps or loops by which the bag can be hungup while beingfilled.

Fig. 2 shows the bag partially t IOC The mail-bag above described ismore convenient and effective in use than common mail-bags, as the mouthis held wide open when assorting. It can be closed and locked quickerthan can be done by the common leather strap, and when locked it is moresecure, as there are no leather straps that can be cut.

Having described my invention, I do not claim,simply and broadly/,hingedbars or plates forming the mouth of a mail-bag; nor do I claim, broadly,a sliding lockingstrap.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

In a mail-bag, the combination of the side

